This invention relates to the field of nonwoven fabrics for use in medical products, personal care products, garments and outdoor fabrics.
The manufacture of many products from nonwoven fabrics can be a very complicated affair involving many different cutting and joining steps. For example, the process of making a surgical gown from nonwoven fabrics involves cutting holes for the sleeves and the head in a large piece of material, cutting material for the sleeves, and then joining the sleeves, generally composed of two pieces, together with each other and the main body of the gown. Certain gowns have reinforced areas (e.g. the elbows) for which additional pieces must be cut, placed and joined. There may be button holes or other manner of attachment or closure required on the arms, back or front of the gown. This manufacturing process requires pieces of fabric to be rotated, turned upside down, folded, etc., many times.
One of the characteristics of certain types of nonwoven fabrics which is useful in a variety of applications is elasticity, i.e. the ability to be stretched and then return to approximately its original size. Such a characteristic is useful in, for example, medical gowns, diapers, training pants, and adult incontinence products.
Stretchable nonwoven fabrics have been produced but have generally been limited to stretch in the machine direction (MD), i.e. the direction of production of the fabric. This is useful, but it has been found that many manufacturing processes would greatly benefit from nonwoven fabrics which could stretch in the cross-machine direction (CD). While a seemingly trivial issue, the requirement of repeatedly turning the nonwoven fabric during the manufacturing process, of for example, a gown, can result in damaged fabric, increased maintenance costs and, of course, increased capital costs for the initial purchase of the manufacturing line equipment. Cross-machine stretchable nonwovens would simplify the manufacturing process by eliminating a large number of rotating steps where the MD stretchable material must be turned in order to give stretch in the desired direction.
Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a nonwoven fabric laminate which is stretchable in at least the cross-machine direction.